Social and Ethical Aspects [of Organic Food Provisioning]

Summary

This paper indicates the character of social and ethical concerns of consumers with respect to the production, distribution and marketing of organic food, discusses the extent to which these concerns can be addressed within the framework of risk analysis with reference to 'Critical Control Points'(CCPs), and presents examples of control measures with regard to particular risks. Four types of marketing risk, as seen from the standpoint of suppliers, are distinguished. It is shown that risks arising from the fact that some suppliers fail to live up to existing standards can be addressed within a CCP framework, providing particular conditions (regarding, for example, traceability) are met. Other kinds of risk, however, call for the introduction of quite different measures that cannot be successfully addressed by introducing controls at specific critical points of production and distribution.